A technique for improving dispersion within polymer-glass composites using polymer precipitation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new polymer precipitation technique that enhances particle dispersion in polymer-glass composites, significantly improving ductility without compromising strength, and reduces agglomeration compared to traditional methods.

Contribution

A novel precipitation method for polymer-glass composites that minimizes particle agglomeration and enhances mechanical properties, applicable to various materials.

Findings

Reduced particle agglomeration from 170 to 43 μm.

Increased ductility from 7% to 120%.

No loss in strength or stiffness.

Abstract

Particulate reinforcement of polymeric matrices is a powerful technique for tailoring the mechanical and degradation properties of bioresorbable implant materials. Dispersion of inorganic particles is critical to achieving optimal properties, however established techniques such as twin-screw extrusion or solvent casting can have significant drawbacks including excessive thermal degradation or particle agglomeration. We present a facile method for production of polymer-inorganic composites that reduces the time at elevated temperature and the time available for particle agglomeration. Glass slurry was added to a dissolved PLLA solution, and ethanol was added to precipitate polymer onto the glass particles. Characterisation of parts formed by subsequent micro-injection moulding of composite precipitate revealed a significant reduction in agglomeration, with d0.9 reduced from 170 to 43 {\mu}m. This drastically improved the ductility ({\epsilon}B) from 7% to 120%, without loss of strength or stiffness. The method is versatile and applicable to a wide range of polymer and filler materials.